Border Patrol Agent

About the role

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is one of the world's largest law enforcement organizations and the largest federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security. As a Border Patrol Agent (BPA) you will be a Federal Law Enforcement Officer responsible for protecting the United States by preventing terrorists and their weapons from entering the country while facilitating lawful international travel and trade.

Responsibilities

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers at or near the borders; maintain surveillance from covert positions, including night operations with infrared scopes.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry of persons or contraband.
• Perform farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol the international boundary and coastal waterways using government assets such as vehicles, horses, vessels, watercraft, off‑road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.

Requirements

Eligibility is based on education, experience, or a combination thereof for the GL‑5, GL‑7, GL‑9, or GS‑11 grade levels, with promotion potential to GS‑12.

• GL‑5: 1 year of general work experience demonstrating ability to take charge, make sound decisions, maintain composure under stress, learn regulations, and gather information; OR a bachelor’s degree; OR a combination of experience and education.
• GL‑7: 1 year of specialized experience showing sound judgment with firearms, courteous dealing with people, rapid analysis and decision‑making for arrests; OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA ≥3.0, honor society, or class standing); OR 1 year of graduate‑level education in a related field; OR combination of experience and education.
• GL‑9: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, including physical searches, apprehension, firearms proficiency, report writing, serving court orders, and evidence gathering.
• GS‑11: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, with authority to enforce laws, make arrests, investigate crimes, use intelligence, lead investigations, and apply complex technology for surveillance and communications.
• Additional requirements: U.S. citizenship; primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years; age restriction (must be referred before 40th birthday, with exceptions for current/former federal civilian LEO or veterans’ preference); after hire, attend approximately six months of training at the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, NM; ability to speak and read Spanish (training provided).

Benefits

• Health, dental, and other insurance plans.
• Generous annual and sick leave program.
• Participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement plan akin to a traditional ROTH 401(k)).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 – $10,000 paid after academy completion, remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location.
• Retention incentive: up to $30,000 additional over the first three years.
• Prioritized locations for the extra $10,000 recruitment incentive: Sierra Blanca, TX; Presidio, TX; Sanderson, TX; Comstock, TX; Lordsburg, NM; Freer, TX; Hebbronville, TX; Ajo, AZ.

Pay

Selections will be at the GL‑5, GL‑7, GL‑9, or GS‑11 grade levels with promotion potential to GS‑12. Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs ranges from $51,632 to $124,717 per year, depending on grade.